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Meet Japan's 'Ninja Boy', the prodigy who aims to stun Mayweather

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Natsuko FUKUE, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/11/07/20181107_floyd.jpg"/><figcaption>Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the U.S. poses for a photograph with his opponent Tenshin Nasukawa during a news conference to announce he is joining Japanese Mixed Martial Arts promotional company Rizin Fighting Federation, in Tokyo, Japan November 5, 2018. Issei Kato, Reuters</figcaption></figure></div>TOKYO -- Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, who aims to make history by defeating boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr, claims his left-hook is like a &quot;bolt of lightning&quot; that will &quot;change the world&quot;.The baby-faced southpaw with a blond quiff, who is only a few months out of his teens, was barely known outside his home country before the shock announcement of his New Year&#x27;s Eve fight with the unbeaten Mayweather.But the 20-year-old from Chiba near Tokyo is considered something of a prodigy in Japanese fighting circles and began learning karate at the tender age of five.Like Mayweather, he has never been beaten, boasting a 27-0 record as a professional kickboxer with 20 wins by knockout. He has four wins out of four in mixed martial arts.Nasukawa won the world junior karate championship when he was a fifth grader and shifted to kickboxing a year later, according to his official website.He made his professional kickboxing debut at the age of 16 and became bantamweight oriental rules world champion a year later.Promoters RIZIN said that Nasukawa -- or &quot;Ninja Boy&quot; as they dubbed him -- had &quot;become one of the most popular fighters in Japan, and perhaps the best combat sports prospect the country has ever seen.&quot;There are still no details as to under what rules the fight will be held -- whether kicks will be allowed, for example -- but Nasukawa claimed after the bout was announced he had &quot;a punch that boxers don&#x27;t have&quot;.&quot;I don&#x27;t care what the rules are. I want to be the man who changes history. I&#x27;ll do that with these fists, with one punch -- just watch,&quot; said Nasukawa.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/boxing/news/2018/11/05/mayweather-jr-fight-kickboxing-star-tenshin-nasukawa-49376">READ: Floyd Mayweather Jr. to fight kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan</a></li></ul><div>- &#x27;Gym rat&#x27; -</div>Even Mayweather acknowledged that Nasukawa was &quot;an unbelievable talent&quot;, praising his lithe, &quot;gym rat&quot; physique.&quot;He&#x27;s very special, he&#x27;s fast, he&#x27;s strong. I&#x27;m older now and when it comes to experience, I have it on my side. He has youth on his side and he&#x27;s going to bring a lot of excitement,&quot; said the 41-year-old American.Nasukawa now weighs 56.8 kilograms and is also giving four inches away in height to Mayweather, who won world titles in five different weight classes.&quot;Our weight class is different, but it means nothing to me,&quot; said Nasukawa.According to his official site, Nasukawa is good with his hands in other areas than punching, saying he is a fan of knitting and sewing -- as well as indulging in traditional Japanese &quot;sento&quot; baths.Despite his tender age, he published a biography last year entitled &quot;Kakusei&quot;, meaning &quot;Awakening&quot;.However, both he and Mayweather have reportedly received some online mockery for the unusual cross-code fight.According to US sports celebrity website TMZ Sports, US rapper 50 cent said that Nasukawa looked like an &quot;Uber driver&quot;.And in a foul-mouthed tirade on his Instagram account, Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, who lost to Mayweather in the American&#x27;s last fight in August 2017, said: &quot;Who&#x27;s this little prick next to you.&quot;<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">Sports website.</a>

Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, who aims to make history by defeating boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr, claims his left-hook is like a "bolt of lightning" that will "change the world".

Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, who aims to make history by defeating boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr, claims his left-hook is like a "bolt of lightning" that will "change the world".

Meet Japan's 'Ninja Boy', the prodigy who aims to stun Mayweather

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Meet Japan's 'Ninja Boy', the prodigy who aims to stun Mayweather

Natsuko FUKUE,

Agence France-Presse

Published Nov 07, 2018 09:59 AM PHT

Read More:

kickboxing

Tenshin Nasukawa

boxing

Floyd Mayweather

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